


Gods Among Us

by Wolverinejoe



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, One Shot Collection, Other, Post-Sburb/Sgrub, Probably some shipping stuff but not right away, beta kids - Freeform, gods being total dorks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 22:22:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1664636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolverinejoe/pseuds/Wolverinejoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the game, four children ascend to godhood. They claim their prize, entering the universe they created. The only real question is what to do now?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue, or, the Birth of a Universe

Beyond the door a universe swirls into being. The unknowable Void pulses with energy, the first drumbeats of the litany of creation echoing throughout the nothingness. There is a sound like rolling thunder, only impossibly more vast, as inky blackness rends itself asunder, the cosmos spreading forth like a flower opening itself in the warm light of the morning sun.

The four Gods stare in awestruck wonder at the brilliant display before them, the sum of all their works combined now finally brought to fruition. It is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Heir who first reacts, his peal of laughter reverberating through the birthing universe. The Seer and Witch join in soon after, and before a moment the fledgling cosmos is filled with unbelieving, joyous celebration as the four Gods revel in their victory.

The Knight grins, snapping his fingers because fuck you that shit is cool, and Time begins, racing forwards at a breakneck speed. The cosmos expands, Space claiming what was once Void and filling it with galaxies and nebulae, embroidering the fabric of Space and Time with Light. Stars are born, blazing bright with warm radiation. Planets are formed around them as the elements that filled the new universe come together into swirling orbs of earth and rock.

All at once Time stopped. The Knight and Witch shared a look and pointed to a planet, the second around a yellow sun, a drop of white and blue and against the backdrop of space. All at once the four Gods were there, watching the first cells in the primordial ooze feel the spark of life. 

The Knight blinks, and millions of years later they watch the first animals crawl out of the oceans into the sand. They watch the first hominids steady themselves on two legs. They watch as protohumans take shelter from the elements in the warm safety of caves, watch as they tame the savage beast of fire. The Gods watch - and, perhaps, they intervene at some points - as language evolves and civilization grows. They watch, and when it strikes their fancy they walk amongst them, but never for more than a few days at a time.

Until one day when by wordless agreement they pause. The Gods share a smile. It is the thirteenth of April.


	2. The Duel

turntechGodhead [TG] began Pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 4:13 PM!

TG: dude where the fuck are you   
TG: i've been waiting here on this goddamn rooftop for like thirteen minutes   
TG: not even 'like' thirteen minutes actually   
TG: thirteen minutes and twelve seconds if we're being exact   
TG: actually that's nowhere near exact but i'll be a nice guy and spare you the attoseconds   
TG: no i'll just wait here with my shitty sword   
TG: i look like a loon   
TG: john i am a god   
TG: i basically have complete and utter control over the flow of time   
TG: john   
TG: i should not look like a loon   
TG: john what is wrong with this picture   
TG: i'll give you a hint   
TG: it's the fact that i look like a loon   
EB: okay!  
EB: i'm on my way!  
EB: shut up already, dude! my phone's gonna catch on fire if you keep this up!  
TG: a fitting punishment for standing up the knight of time  
EB: i'm ignoring you know  
TG: just tell me when you plan on showing up

 

"Now sound good?" The wind whispers in the Knight of Time's ear.

Dave flinches, pivoting to one side and halfway drawing his sword from his Strife Specibus. "God damn you, John Egbert," he says to the empty roof, dropping his iPhone back into his jean pocket.

The roof chuckles at the Knight, a soft breeze blowing at his ankles. "You want me to damn myself?" it asks.

"Shut up and show yourself already," he replies, crossing his arms. "I've got one shitty katana that's hankering for a taste of you, or something vaguely homoerotic like that. You bring your hammer?"

"No, Dave," the wind replies, rivulets of blue seeping into Dave's vision. Hundreds of the tiny whisps joined together, all bleeding into cerulean tendrils that formed after a moment John Egbert, "I spent thirteen minutes sifting through the entirety of my Fetch Modus to exchange my Warhammer for a boring old sledgehammer-" he takes said hammer from his Specibus and shakes it for emphasis, "-then just left it at home. Silly old me!"

"Okay but tell me that isn't something you would do."

"Me? Hell no. Jade, maybe."

The Knight concedes with a nod. "Fair enough. Nice shirt, by the way."

John glances down at the purple squiddle emblazoned on the white tee. "Huh. I didn't even realize. I just pulled it out of the washing machine. Besides, the four of us practically share a closet anyways." 

"Jade actually did the laundry for once?"

"Yup! I'm just as surprised as you are. Nice having clean clothing."

"I'll say. You ready or what?"

It's the Heir's turn to shrug. "I guess? I dunno, I'm new to the whole 'rooftop strife' thing."

Dave sighs, already beginning to regret asking John. He makes a note to ask Jade next time he feels like a good old-fashioned rooftop strife. Actually a strife with Jade would be rad as hell. So many Matrix references. So many. "It's simple. First one to get seriously wounded loses. Readysetgo."

In a flash he's drawn his blade and swung, the polished steel glinting in the midday sun. John only barely avoids the sharpened edge by falling backwards. He recovers nicely, rolling out of the fall and jumping up to his feet again. 

By now Dave's already taken another step and slashed at his chest. John dives to the side, gripping his sledgehammer and rolling away once again. Once he's on his feet he swings at Dave, who has already closed the distance between the two of them. Seeing the hammer in time the Knight jukes left and hops, rolling just over the blow. As soon as one foot hits the ground he spins, pivoting around and slicing straight for John's jugular.

Checking his swing, John grabs just below the head of his hammer and brings it up above his head, Dave's shitty katana biting into the wooden neck. The sword momentarily stopped, it is John's turn to attack, shoving Dave back half a step before hefting the hammer over his head and bringing it down hard. Dave mimics John's earlier 'fall-backwards-and-roll' maneuver, bouncing to his feet as the sledgehammer shatters and cracks the cement where Dave had been standing only seconds before. 

Hm. John's ungodly (Heh. Ungodly. Dave would have to remember that one.) amounts of mangrit had slipped Dave's mind this morning when he'd challenged him. As he sprints forward and leaps over John, twisting in midair to deliver a blow to the Heir's exposed back, it occurs to Dave that he might have his work cut out for him.

Shit! John drops his hammer and dives forwards as Dave completes what probably looks really badass and is also probably from Bleach or Naruto or some shit. Now weaponless, John turns and faces the Knight, glancing between him and the sledgehammer. 

Dave smirks. Maybe not. "C'mon, man," he teases. "You gotta have a -" he stops as John breaks into a sprint, leaping for his hammer. Dave grins and aims a swipe at where John's head will be in three, two, one...

His hands firmly clasping the hammer, John exhales, melting into a wave of blue wind that blows unharmed past the Knight, reforming a few feet behind him.

"-okay that was so not fair," Dave mutters, tightening his grip on the katana.

John grins, spinning the sledgehammer before letting it fall back into his hands.

The two race at each other, swinging their respective weapons in a wide arc. The edge of the katana meets the head of the hammer in a flurry of sparks so amazing it causes the two combatants to pause a moment in awe of how fucking cool they are. Then they are fighting again, batting away each other's blows.

Suddenly John takes a step backwards, spinning the hammer in diagonally towards Dave. A wave of blue air bursts out from the hammer head, blowing Dave backwards a full foot. Another blast knocks him five feet, a third ten, leaving him dangerously near the edge of the rooftop. 

Dave regains his footing just in time to see John winding up for a final blow. "Oh, it is so-"

John slams his hammer into the rooftop. A sphere of blue air explodes from the point of collision, expanding outwards and sending Dave flying off the rooftop where he plummets to his doom below. "- on," he finishes.

Falling, Dave hears a scream from a passerby far below, and chuckles. Lady, you haven't seen anything yet. He also takes the time to crack his knuckles. This was gonna be fun.

Flipping in midair, he pulls out of the dive a good second before he'd faceplant into the cement and rockets back upwards, spinning his katana like a goddamn badass as he sticks a perfect three-point landing on the rooftop. "You wanna play hardball, Egbert? Let's play hardball. My serve." 

God damn it where has John buggered off to. 

Glancing this way and that around the empty roof, Dave shifts his stance so he holds his katana in both hands instead of just his left. He spins around, bringing his sword up. Nothing.

With a roar, John rematerializes behind Dave, his sledgehammer already in motion and aimed for Dave's face. Grinning, Dave pours on the speed, easily ducking under the swing. Everything slows. He slides his katana halfway back into his Specibus, dancing lazily around John's attacks. Bending backwards Matrix-style to dodge a swipe aimed at his neck, he rights himself and shoves into John with his shoulder and the hilt of his blade, knocking the Heir onto his back.

Dave draws his sword, pressing the edge to John's neck and letting Time flow naturally again. "Yield," he says, smirking.

John shakes his head. "Nah." He glows blue, melting back into the Breeze before Dave can react. Mother/fuck/. He'd had him, too.

A torrent of air slams into Dave's chest, knocking the breath from his lungs. Wind wraps around his body, lifting him high into the air and dropping him onto the concrete. Dave coughs, gasping for air, when suddenly a hand grasps his and pulls him up.

"C'mon, dude, you're getting your ass kicked by Egbert. This is embarrassing," a voice Dave knows all too well says. 

"Yeah, well, got any bright ideas?" he asks himself.

Future Dave nods. "A couple, yeah. Come on."

John reforms, glancing between Dave and his future self. "Ho boy, guess it's on, now, huh?" He asks.

Future Dave nods before Dave can. "Hells yes it is," he says, flashstepping behind Egbert. Dave rushes from the front, slashing at John's neck as Future Dave lunges for his gut. John turns ethereal at the last second, his hammer already inches from Future Dave when he reappears behind, knocking him to the floor. 

Dave winces. That is going to have hurt. Shaking himself, he rushes forwards, katana in both hands, swinging the blade like a baseball bat. The edge cuts through the unsuspecting Heir, blood spurting from the fresh wound.

John freezes, looking down at the blood pouring from his side before melting into the wind. "Guess you win," he says, almost disappointed.

Future Dave gets to his feet, nodding to Dave. "That's your cue, bro. I'll take it from here."

Dave gives a thumbs up, and time shifts around him. A brief light flashes in time for him to see a torrent of air smash into his past self before lifting him upwards and slamming him back down. 

He winces, grabbing Past Dave and lifting him up. "C'mon, dude, you're getting your ass kicked by Egbert. This is embarrassing."

Past Dave raises a brow behind his shades. "Yeah, well you got any bright ideas?"

As a matter of fact. Dave nods. "A couple, yeah. Come on."

John reforms as Dave adjust the grip on the katana. "Ho, boy, guess it's on now, huh?"

Dave nods, smirking. "Hells yeah it is." As did Future Dave, he flashsteps behind John and lunges at his gut as Past Dave slashes for his neck. John, as he did right now, dodges behind Dave and hammers him in the gut. He was right. It was going to have hurt. Ouch. 

Dave turns to watch himself win, waiting for his past self to make the final blow, but... Wait. What?

There is a pale blue glow from behind Past Dave, and tendrils of blue wrap around his wrists and ankles, forcing him to the ground. John, only a different John, steps out of the Breeze, bringing the hammer down.

This is wrong.

"Hold on, stop," Dave all but shouts. "Fucking damn it Egbert you messed up the loops." 

The 'future' John grins. "Sorry, Dave, but I couldn't let you win!"

Past Dave raises a hand from where he lays. "Wait, were we supposed to win? Did the definition of 'win' change sometime in the past whenever?"

Dave rubs his temples. "You were supposed to slice into John and win, but John "sore loser" Egbert here uses his fuckin' OP retcon shit to stop you from hitting him, which has the fun side effect of making me stop exist because you didn't finish the loop. So, in conclusion, fuck you, Egbert." Dave flips the bird and then doesn't exist anymore.

"Hold up. John?"

"Yeah?"

"So if you went back in time using your bullshit retcon powers stopped me from winning the strife, which stopped me from closing the loop which get rid of Future Dave, doesn't that also get rid of your need to go back in time and retcon Future Dave in the first place?"

There is a few seconds of silence. "...yes?"

"So... Why are you here now?"

"Uh..."

John and Dave stand alone on the empty rooftop. There is only one version of either of them on this rooftop, and that is how it always was. Probably. They hope.

"Wanna call it a draw?"

"Sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God I was so bored. I wrote this and the prologue during a twelve-hour car ride back home from Florida. Twelve hours. It was terrible. Next chapter coming whenever I get around to writing it. Till then.
> 
> -Wolverinejoe

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, AO3. Wolverinejoe here with my first fanfiction published to this website. This is the first in what I hope will be a series of short stories detailing life after SBURB and possibly SGRUB. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> -Wolverinejoe


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